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Facility renovations planned for later this year
MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (April 22, 2010) — Milligan College’s Seeger Memorial Chapel will undergo a significant renovation later this year thanks to a generous gift of $500,000 from James C. Martin of Johnson City, Tenn., in memory of his wife of 42 years, Mary B. Martin. President Don Jeanes made the announcement Thursday as part of the college’s annual awards convocation held in Seeger.
Jeanes explained that the auditorium’s original wooden, pew-like seating would be replaced with new padded, theater-style seating at the end of the fall semester. The flooring also will be refinished as part of the renovations to the newly named Mary B. Martin Auditorium in Seeger Memorial Chapel.
“Seeger Chapel is a dominant edifice and a central part of our campus and community, providing a venue for worship, lectures, concerts, drama and instruction,” said Jeanes. “We are blessed to be the beneficiary of this most fitting memorial to Mrs. Martin, a patron of the arts and a committed Christian lady.”
Mr. Martin has made other significant contributions to the local arts community, including gifts to East Tennessee State University to establish the Mary B. Martin School of the Arts and to the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough. He also underwrites an annual concert in memory of Mrs. Martin conducted by the Johnson City Symphony.
Mary B. Martin, who passed away in 2008, was a lifelong resident of Johnson City and a member of First Christian Church. She began her 44-year career at Tennessee Eastman Company as a laboratory technician and later obtained a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from East Tennessee State University, studying nights and weekends while working full time at Eastman. Following graduation, she worked as a research chemist, doing exploratory work in new polymer systems. She was awarded two U.S. patents.
Built in 1967, Seeger’s beautiful Colonial architecture occupies the center of the campus. At its highest point, the cross atop Seeger Chapel stands to proclaim the college’s founding principle and mission, the integration of Christian faith with academic rigor. With 31,000 square feet of floor space, the main auditorium seats 1,275 and the Walker Auditorium on the lower level accommodates several hundred.
“Certainly, we make extensive use of Seeger for various college programs, but we also make the facility available to the community and to various organizations,” said Jeanes. “For more than 20 years, the Johnson City Symphony, which is a critical component of Johnson City’s fine arts offerings, has performed in Seeger. By providing new seating for the Mary B. Martin Auditorium, her legacy of Christian service and love for the arts will be remembered for generations to come. The impact of this gift on the lives of Milligan students and upon members of the community who are patrons of the arts will be long remembered.”
Jeanes’ announcement comes on the eve of the dedication of the college’s new Gilliam Wellness Center. The center, made possible through a gift from Richard and Leslie Gilliam in memory of his father, Milligan alumnus Marvin Gilliam, Sr., of Wise, Va., will be dedicated on Friday, April 23, at 11 a.m.
“We are excited about the impact Mr. Martin’s gift will have both on Milligan College and on the entire community,” said Dr. Bill Greer, vice president for institutional advancement. “This gift also helps us reach an important milestone for Forward Ever: The Campaign for Milligan College, which has now passed the $20 million mark in gifts and commitments. It is wonderful to be able to announce this gift as we prepare to celebrate the opening of the Gilliam Wellness Center.”
To learn more about Milligan College or Forward Ever, visit www.milligan.edu or call 800.447.5922.